When you complain, you create unnecessary pain. I remember my last fight vividly and it is exactly one month ago. My game plan was simple, figure him out and take him out in the third. Everything went according to plan until my calf got hit in the second round. I didn’t feel pain back then but I remember sitting down after the second round and looking at my left leg. My calf was almost as big as my upper leg. There was no time for panic, I just needed to adjust to this because I couldn’t kick, block or even put a lot of pressure on that leg. The bell rang and I just went after it in the third round, sometimes even kicking with that leg. Adrenaline is one hell of a drug.
I lost the fight on points after 5 rounds and was devasted because I know I could have won that fight. They had to carry me outside of the stadium, bring me home and I had to ask a housemate to turn off the light in my room because I couldn’t walk. I would walk for 2 weeks with an old man’s stick to make sure that the swelling would go down. It hurt pretty badly for about a week and a half. Do you know how much I complained during that whole period? The answer is zero because there’s just no point in doing it.
When you complain, you create unnecessary pain.
But is life really that unfair or did you just not prepare for setbacks? Are you sure that you’ve got a realistic view of life? Is being vulnerable really a strength or are you just looking for an excuse to complain to others and feel sorry for yourself?! Why don’t you just own it?! As a fighter you sign up for a fight, not being prepared for the fact that you can get injured is kind of weird to me. Most people don’t get this though because we live in a weak generation. People just like to complain and feel sorry for themselves but that serves nobody in the end.
This goes beyond fighting.
Read this line over and over until you get it: Always shoot for the best scenario but realize that the worst can happen as well. People are kind of unrealistic these days when it comes to basically everything. They get a job and assume they’ll never get fired, have a relationship and assume it’s forever, some even think they’ll live forever… The thing is all those things can be taken away from you in a matter of seconds and mostly it happens when you least expect it. That’s why I always say “aim for the finish line but prepare to trip along the way”. What I mean by that is that you have to go after your goals but be prepared for setbacks as well. Being prepared for those will make sure that you deal with it better. It still sucks, don’t get me wrong but you’ll get through the process way quicker than people who don’t anticipate the bad things that can happen in life.
The million-dollar smile, don’t complain.
I put up my million dollar smile when my leg was swollen, black and yellow (leg is 99% healed right now). It was just a setback. I lost a fight and got injured. So what?! In the end, you decide whether you keep going or not. I’m still living the dream. This isn’t my first rodeo. I overcame worse things and so did other people.
So if you want it, you go and get it. If you want it, you go and work for it. It doesn’t matter how bad it gets, you keep smiling and wake up the next day with better energy. Don’t break and don’t stop chasing what you want. In the end, life is too short to give up on what you want. You don’t complain and you just accept the pain since the obstacle is the only way. Whatever happens, happens and sometimes that means things will go great and other times you’ll have to roll with the punches.
That’s life.
Till next time.
Alex
Don’t forget to buy my latest book: “The Year Of The Alpha: 366 Lessons On Adding Meaning To Your Life! It’ll take your life from Zero To Alpha. (you can buy it here)
